Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Role of Aquatic Resources in Adaptation

Archaeologists continue to debate when and how humans' use of dense and predictable resources impacted human evolution. Today, billions of humans still depend on dense and predictable resources, namely agriculture. Previous studies suggest that agriculture allowed humans to become sedentary, leading to greater technological advancements and forms of resource defense and stratification.

Recent archaeological evidence suggests these adaptations predate agricultural development and, thus, may be more ancient than previously thought. However, before archaeologists can determine how far back in time these adaptations exist, they must first understand how other forms of dense and predictable resources, like fish and shellfish, impacted hunter-gatherer behaviors.

As such, this project yields insights into the role of aquatic resources in human evolution, providing comparative data for global studies of hunter-gatherer adaptation. The project supports education and training by involving students and engaging local communities while fostering scientific collaboration. Educational outreach, including the development of language material and a database of archaeological data on aquatic exploitation, extends the impact of this work to a variety of audiences and educational settings.

This interdisciplinary project contributes to theoretical and methodological advancements in archaeology and anthropology while enriching understanding of past, present, and future human responses to resource challenges.

Researchers investigate how intensified aquatic resource use influenced hunter-gatherers' technological and mobility decisions over the past 5,000-years. This study examines stone tool adaptations across two distinct environments. Both sites provide rich archaeological records of transitions towards increased consumption of fish or shellfish, enabling the researchers to analyze the impact of aquatic intensification on hunter-gatherer technology and mobility.

This project tracks how hunter-gatherers made, maintained, and sourced their stone tools before and during aquatic intensification. This allows the researchers to explore whether shifts in dietary focus—toward marine and freshwater resources—altered hunter-gatherer strategies for tool utility, raw material use, and mobility patterns. These findings enhance our understanding of how resource optimization shaped human innovation and adaptation during periods of cultural and environmental fluctuation.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.